Congress: The Legislative Branch
Despite being the political institution that is closest to the people,
Congress is the least popular of the three branches of government
Congress approval = 12% approve, 65% disapprove = -53% spread
(per Economist/YouGov 3/15/16)
Obama approval = 51% approve, 46% disapprove = +5% spread (per
Gallup 3/15/16)
It is less popular for several reasons:
a. More involved in lawmaking/sausage-making and so more
deeply involved in struggles of politics
b. Americans tend not to like “big government,” bureaucracy and
red tape so they usually blame congress, the law-making branch
c. Doesn’t have the same “aura” in popular imagination as the
POTUS
d. As a branch, congress is probably less visible and more
mysterious (most people don’t even know who their own
representative is…)
Congress is LESS popular than…
60 Minutes Exposes on Congressional Behavior
1) “Congress: Trading Stock on Insider Information”
2) “Jack Abramoff: The Lobbyists Playbook”
3) “Congress: Washington’s Open Secret”
The Constitution gave Congress several powers:
*to levy taxes
*to borrow money
*to coin money
*to declare war
*to raise armies
*to determine the nature of the federal judiciary
*to regulate commerce with foreign governments
and among states
In practice, the powers of Congress rest in the following
four areas:
1) It is the arm of govt. responsible for MAKING LAWS
(federal laws introduced, discussed, and either accepted or
rejected)
2) It has the POWER OF OVERSITE—that is, it checks on
the work of the federal bureaucracy, making sure it carries
out the intent of congress
3) It has the final say over the FEDERAL BUDGET, which is
developed by the President’s Office of Management and
Budget but must be approved by Congress
4) The Senate has the power to CHECK AND CONFIRM ALL
KEY PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTEES except those who work
directly for the POTUS in the Wh. House
Constitutional Powers of Congress
1. The Constitution says remarkably
little about presidential power.
2. There is little that the POTUS can
do on his own, and they share executive,
legislative, and judicial power with other
branches of govt.
3. Congress, NOT the President, was
to be supreme, which is why Congress
was granted so many crucial powers
where the executive was not
Congress: Introduction
• Since the great depression and WWII the Executive Branch
increased its influence and power compared to
Congress—1930s-early 1990s period of executive
ascendancy
• Congress remains a vital player in the American political
game—perhaps NOT powerful enough anymore to shape
the nation’s policies on its own as the founders
intended—but still worthy of our examination
Congress: The Basics
• The Congress of the United States is Bicameral
(2 branches)—made up of Senate and House of
Representatives
• Senate: consists of 2 senators from each state
regardless of size. They serve 6 year terms
• House: House members are distributed according to
population—the larger the state’s population, the
more reps it gets. They serve 2 year terms
Congress: The Basics
Basic Requirements
1. 535 members:
a. 2 Senators p/state = 100
b. 435 members of the House = by population. Bigger
the state, more Reps (CA has 53, Vermont 1)
2. House members MUST be:
a. at least 25, American citizen for 7 years
3. Senate members MUST be:
a. at least 30, American citizen for 9 years 4.
4. All members of Congress MUST be:
a. residents of the states from which they are elected
Congress: The Job
• Believe it or not, HARD WORK is probably the
most prominent characteristic of a
Congressperson’s job
• According to the course text (2012: 205)
members of Congress usually work about 11
hour days, 7 days a week when in session,
which "adds up to approximately 300
working days a year"
Congress: The Job
Perks
a. Salary = $174,000—about 4x the income of the typical
American BUT well BELOW that of hundreds of corporate
presidents (leaders make $193,400)
b. Generous retirement benefits
c. Office space in Wash DC and in district
d. Substantial Congressional staff
e. Handsome travel allowances to see constituents each year,
plus opportunities to travel at low fares or even free to
foreign nations on Congressional inquiries (“JUNCKETS”)
f. Franking Privilege = free use of mail system to
“communicate” with their constituents
g. Other perks: free flowers from Ntl Botanical Gradens,
research services from Library of Congress, and exercise
rooms and pools
Congress: Classic Sayings
1) Classic Warning heard often in Congress: “You
have to save your seat before you can save the
world”
2) Another classic: “all politics is local”
3) Another classic—Political Hippocratic Oath: “Do
no harm unto thine own career”
Congress: Why do Incumbent Congressmen
always seem to win?
• 96-98% reelection rates since 1998
Congress: Why do Incumbent Congressmen
always seem to win?
• Voters know who they are…
• Advertising/Visibility/“Home Styling”
• Credit Claiming
• WEAK OPPONENTS
• Favorable Redistricting
And
Congress: How does a Bill become a Law?
Congress and Foreign Policy
The Democrats Policy on the Terrorist Threat
Congress and Foreign Policy
The Republicans Policy on the Terrorist Threat
My point here: Congress really
doesn’t make foreign policy, the
POTUS does…
Congress: Questions
• Already covered